My Homepage

Am I Able To Treat Severs Disease At Home ?

Overview

It is thought to be a traction injury, where the Achilles tendon and Plantar fascia pull in opposite directions. Sever?s occurs in children aged 8 to 16 years old. In children, the heel bone is made up of 2 bones, with a growth plate of cartilage in between the sections, holding these 2 bones together. As the cartilage expands, the edges of it eventually turn to bone, and finally the gap closes. This usually occurs within the first 13-15 years of life. However, because these bones are connected by cartilage they are weaker than normal bones. This is why they are very vulnerable to injury.

Causes

This condition most commonly occurs due to repetitive or prolonged activities placing strain on the heel's growth plate, typically during a period of rapid growth. These activities (or sports) usually involve excessive walking, running, jumping or hopping. Severs disease may also be more likely to occur following a poorly rehabilitated sprained ankle, in patients with poor foot biomechanics or those who use inappropriate footwear. In young athletes, this condition is commonly seen in running and jumping sports, such as football, basketball, netball and athletics.

Symptoms

Some of the common symptoms of Sever's disease are pain in one or both heels with running and walking. The pain is originates from the point of the heel where the tendo-achilles inserts into the heel bone. Heel pain that goes away when resting. Swollen heel. Calf muscle stiffness first thing in the morning.

Diagnosis

A doctor can usually tell that a child has Sever's disease based on the symptoms reported. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will probably examine the heels and ask about the child's activity level and participation in sports. The doctor might also use the squeeze test, squeezing the back part of the heel from both sides at the same time to see if doing so causes pain. The doctor might also ask the child to stand on tiptoes to see if that position causes pain. Although imaging tests such as X-rays generally are not that helpful in diagnosing Sever's disease, some doctors order them to rule out other problems, such as fractures. Sever's disease cannot be seen on an X-ray.

Non Surgical Treatment

When the condition flares, it is treated with activity limitation, medication to reduce inflammation (such as ibuprofen [Advil] or naproxen [Aleve]), shoe inserts, heel lifts, cold packs, and sometimes casting when it becomes especially severe. Sever condition is generally a self-limited problem that usually improves within a year.

Prevention

Perform a well rounded dynamic warm up before activity. Perform a good static stretching routine after activity. Increase core strength. Perform exercises that emphasize active lengthening of the calf muscles. Use proper footwear. Avoid excessive running or jumping on hard surfaces like concrete by using better surfaces such as asphalt, gymnasium floors or grass.
This website was created for free with Own-Free-Website.com. Would you also like to have your own website?
Sign up for free